Eyes of Mercury
by SilverSpun89
Summary: **Set shortly after Riddick becomes the Lord Marshall.** What happens when the scariest convict in the 'verse faces the loss of the woman he swore to protect?
1. Chapter 1

"The name is Kyra now, and I am a new animal." She jumped the rail and grabbed onto one of the many dangling ropes that had been put up as a means of transport for the inmates where stairs and walkways had failed. As her boots clanged down onto the steel walk below she disappeared into the mist and Riddick was left shaking his head up above. _A new animal indeed…Kyra._

"Kyra. Ky-ra!"

"What!"

"Move that ASS!" Riddick lowered his goggles and started pulling the other men up and shoved them into the alcove to his right. He could hear Kyra calling for him as he pressed his back against the rocks. The wheels were already turning and he knew he should leave her, one speed, his. His fist hit the stone and he swore to himself, calling himself a fool as he took the rope and water from the other men and told them to run. He threw his body over the edge, the rope tying into place with his weight as he swung in a wide arch toward Kyra. He grabbed her, shielding her with his body as they rolled onto the ledge, hidden by the shadow of the mountain. He was already on his feet by the time Kyra realized she wasn't fried.

"I was always with you Riddick." Her voice was strained, the spear like protrusion from the column had pierced her lung and hit just above her abdominal aorta. She could feel Riddick's arms around her, and with the way he was holding her she could feel his panic, he had done so much to get back to her, and now she was bleeding out on him.

"My Lord Marshall, come with me." Strong hands lifted Riddick up and tried to take Kyra from him.

"Don't." One world, obeyed immediately.

"This way." They were ushered into a med bay and Kyra was stripped down quickly and placed into what looked like a glass coffin that quickly filled with a light blue fluid. The animal panic slid away and the cold killer took its place.

"…the fluid is regenerative, twenty-four hours and she will be fine." It was a calm female voice, some kind of nurse. "My Lord Marshall, what are your orders?" It took a second for him to realize they were talking to him. He had killed the previous Lord Marshall, and they kept what they killed.

"I'll be staying with her till she wakes up." The low base growl of his voice told the threat, if she doesn't everyone on the ship was liable to die before they were able to stop him. His silver eyes took in the dim room as he paced. It looked like every med lab he had ever seen, darker, more like some old vampire movie, but a med lab.

"My Lord Marshall, I need to examine your wounds." The calm voice said to him as a short-haired platinum blond stepped in front of him.

"Get out of my way." He growled out at her but she didn't move.

"My Lord Marshall-"

"Riddick."

"I'm sorry…Riddick?"

"My name is Riddick."

"My Apologies, Lord Riddick. You will do no good to the girl if you are dead because of wounds you refused to get looked at." He glared but allowed her to look at the headwound. It gave him something to focus on besides Kyra. The Necromonger woman was deft, he barely felt her stitches. He would heal quickly. He always did, and now he knew why. He was a Furian, whatever that meant. He had gathered they were warriors, and seeing the Purifier stand up after being blasted by the sun on Crematoria, he figured they were some strong motherfuckers. He had always thought he was a product of the slams he had been sent to, some kind of gene therapy experimentation.

"If you wish to stay till she wakes, there is a patient bed in the next room." She pointed toward the doorway at the back of the room. Riddick just grunted and leaned against the counter, watching the tub, Kyra's still body floating within the light blue fluid. He couldn't see much, the container effectively blocked his view of most of her but he could see her face. It was so peaceful, all the worry, the pain, the fear wiped away as her hair floated in a dark halo around her.

He remembered her being a cute kid with an attitude. She tried to be as badass as he was, instead of giving into her fear. That had earned her points with him, she was rare, like Carolyn, Like Iman. He wasn't about to strike out a third time. He walked over to the tank and looked down at her.

"You better wake up Kyra, you've got a lot to explain." That was it, he just wanted answers as to why she left New Mecca. Why she came looking for him after he told her to stay the hell away, after he spent five years on a frozen heap and another year getting back to civilization.


	2. Chapter 2

Kyra shot up from the blue fluid gasping for air and scrabbling for the sides of the tub in blind panic. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her up to her knees and held her while she struggled. As she fought against whoever was holding her she could feel the bass rumble of his voice calling her name.

"Kyra, Kyra calm down!" Riddick was trying to be gentle with her but she wasn't making it easy, the last six years had really made her strong and the panic wasn't helping him. "Goddamnit JACK!" That stopped her cold. Only one person in the 'verse called her Jack. She turned hazel eyes up to silver ones and relief flooded her as she sagged against him and he pulled her out and wrapped her in a blanket he had found under one of the cabinets.

"R…Riddick." Kyra said shakily.

"Yeah." He said in a clipped tone, watching her carefully. Something was off, but he couldn't figure it out. That blue shit was messing with his sense of smell but something about her smelled…warm. The rest of the bastards on the ship smelled like ozone.

"What happened to you Jack?" He asked once the wild look in her eyes had eased up.

"Kyra." She responded, almost automatically.

"Fine. What happened…Kyra?" You could hear the eye roll in his voice even though he watched her.

"Gonna have to narrow that down Riddick, a lot has happened in six years." Her voice was regaining its steady, almost angry, taunting lilt.

"Start with how you got here, on this ship."

"Stowed away."

"You mean to tell me a bunch of super-powered warrior didn't notice a stowaway on their ship?"

"Not if you avoid those freaks with the masks, wear their clothes and can do a bit of make-up." Riddick made a grunting noise, something that sounded like he was impressed.

"Not bad kid, not bad." Kyra glared at him.

"If I wasn't naked and freezing I would hurt you for calling me kid." She snarled, a fact made almost comical by her soaked state. "I grew up Riddick, I grew up on that planet faster than any kid should have to, and then I got lesson in how life really works after you left.

"I sent you to New Mecca with Iman to stay safe, away from me, away from the mercs that are always going to be chasing me."

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"The Mercs aren't going to be on you anymore. If you are standing here, that means your won, and the Necro's keep what they kill _Lord Marshal_." The title was said with so much sarcasm it was nearly visible. "No Merc, not even Toombs would come after you now." Riddick gave her an appraising look. He knew Jack, no, Kyra would have grown up, but seeing that shrewd mind work, despite being naked, nearly killed, and freezing made him a little proud. Gone was the twelve-year-old kid that shocked everyone when she shaved her head and tried to emulate him.

"I need clothes." Kyra muttered as she started looking in cabinets. Riddick raised an eyebrow at the flash of disappoint that went through him at the thought of her clothed.

 _Been too long, thinking 'bout her that way, been way too long._ He chided himself, but he didn't aide in the search for clothes. Almost as if summoned by her words the nurse returned with a stack of clothing in her hands.

"My Lord Marshal, if we could have the room?" Her voice was quiet and respectful but the look in her eyes told him very well that she wasn't going to be happy with him if he pushed trying to stay in the room. Fine by him, he needed to see to a few things, like getting back to New Mecca and finding Iman's wife and daughter.

"Come find me." He said over his shoulder to Kyra as he walked out. Three men stood outside the med bay, and they all snapped to attention as he approached. He recognized one as the guy who had tried to kill him, then the former Lord Marshal and was immediately on alert.

"My Lord Marshal." The Man said. "I am Commander Vaako. These are Commanders Julius and Aurelius." He gestured first to a tall blonde whose blue eyes were nearly white giving him the illusion of blindness, then to a dark-skinned man with braids tipped with steel claws, and small needles woven in them. _Hair as a weapon, smart man._ Riddick took the measure of them, and saw that they stared ahead into third space, instead of directly at him. He could smell it though, they were afraid.

"You're the bastard who tried to kill me on Crematoria." The skin around Vaako's eyes tightened, the only sign of flinching.

"Yes, Lord Marshal, I was sent on the orders of the former Lord Marshal to dispatch you." Riddick cocked his head to the side.

"And now?"

"Sir?"

"Will you keep trying to kill me now?"

"No Lord Marshal. You keep what you kill, and I am loyal to the Faith." _Loyal to the Faith, not to the Lord Marshal, to a creed. I will have to keep an eye on you Vaako._

#

"I'm fine, get off." Kyra pushed the nurse away from her and dressed quick. She hated being touched, made her skin crawl. _But not when Riddick was touching you_ , a small voice in her head quipped. She dismissed the thought, she had been panicking thinking she was drowning after she should have died. That's all it was. Prioritizing her dislike for touch over survival wouldn't have been smart. The nurse stepped back from her and crossed her arms.

"I need to make sure the tank did its job, just because the outside is fixed doesn't mean the internal damage is fixed."

"I'll risk it." Kyra brushed past her, the low-heeled boots thumped softly on the stone floor as she marched out of the room, and directly into Riddick and three Necromonger commanders. Her heartbeat sped up, the pulse leaping in her throat as she looked between the four men. Her fingers twitched, and she cursed her blades being gone.

"Kyra."

"You said come find you." Riddick just grunted and looked at Vaako. The man stepped aside and let Riddick and Kyra past. Several more people tried to approach Riddick but backed away quickly when he turned his eyes to them.

"My Lord Marshal." A small voice said to them, causing Riddick to halt mid-step. He turned to face a small girl, maybe ten years old bowing to him.

"I am Sena, I am to show you to your quarters." Kyra hadn't said anything to Riddick as he moved through the Necropolis and now she was watching him take in the small girl, the same way he sized up grown men. _What is he smelling?_ She wondered to herself. Sena looked up at Riddick, her face placid.

"Then lead." He gestured for the girl to walk ahead of them, and they were lead several floors up.

"The entire top level are the rooms of the Lord Marshall, directly below us is the great hall where banquets and various affairs of state are handled. Your private meeting rooms are on this floor as well." She said as they stepped out of the elevator. She stood to the side of the door and bowed to them. "Third door down, on your right will be your private quarters." She went to step back onto the elevator, grabbing Kyra by the arm as she moved.

Kyra tried to jerk her arm back but the girl held fast. "The unconverted are not permitted on this floor. You will come with me." Kyra reached with her free hand and twisted the girls hand until she released her arm.

"Touch me again, and I will make sure you never see the Underverse." Kyra hissed.

"Knock it off." Both girls turned to look at Riddick but only Sena stepped away.

"My apologies Lord Marshall." She said with a low bow.

"Kyra." The way he said her name made her blood boil, but she followed after him like an obedient dog while Sena returned to the lower floors.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as Kyra was through the bedroom door it closed behind her and she was left in complete darkness. She knew Riddick could see her just fine, but she was searching the darkness for the shine of his eyes.

"Riddick?" She called out. He didn't answer, but she could hear the tell-tale sound of a blade being turned over and over in his hand. "Riddick, please." She felt like she was a kid again, asking him not to leave her behind on New Mecca.

 _"_ _Riddick…Riddick Please." Jack called after the convict as he walked toward his ship. Iman was holding her back, barely. "I won't get in your way, I swear." Jack called desperately. But Riddick never turned to face her, his pace never slowed._

 _What she couldn't know what the thoughts running through his mind revolved around keeping her close. He had lost Carolyn, she had died for him and wasn't supposed to, no one was supposed to die for him. But at the same time, he felt like no one else would be able to keep Jack safe._

"You signed with Mercs." The disgust was evident.

"There was no one else." Her voice was soft, broken.

"You had Iman." Riddick spat at her. "I had mercs on my neck, I will always have mercs on my neck and you go and join the first crew that will have you!" Kyra flinched. He wasn't yelling, not yet but she could feel the heat of his anger from where she stood.

"How else was I supposed to find you?"

"You weren't supposed to find me." He said, and she could almost hear him shaking his head, the frustration was palpable. "You were supposed to grow up on New Mecca, leave that fucked up shit in the past. Leave me in the past!" Kyra jumped when she heard his knife imbed itself in something hard. As fear flooded her, anger came chasing after it, giving her a confidence she wouldn't have had otherwise.

"I was TWELVE!" She roared back at him. "TWELVE YEARS OLD! I had no one. You saved me from monsters, human and alien alike. I had a CRUSH on you. Some fucked up idea that you were some kind of white knight." She scoffed, laughing at herself. "So, I ran, I ran away to the only people who had ever been able to find you, MERCS." She had stalked into the room, toward where she had heard his voice coming from. "Once they had me safely off Helion Prime, they slaved me out Riddick. I was a kid; do you know what that does to you?" Riddick didn't answer, he moved around her stalking her. "After that, I racked up a body-count to make even you proud. But no one could shine my eyes like yours. I couldn't find you, and I couldn't go back to New Mecca. Then you show up, and act like you have some right to be pissed off because I didn't turn out how you wanted. Well guess what Riddick, if you wanted me to turn out better you should have been a man and hung around. Instead you took the cowards way and ran, you're still taking the cowards way."

 _They slaved her out, Jack…_ He kicked himself. She was supposed to…supposed to. He should his head. No, she was right, if he wanted to make sure of something, he should have been there to make sure that it happened, instead he walked away. He wasn't there to protect her.

"Fuck this shit." Jack said, turning on her heal and marching toward the door, silently praying she didn't run into anything and break her neck. Before she could open the door, she was slammed into it and whirled around, eyes of bright mercury searching her hazel ones.

"I was trying to protect you." Riddick growled out.

"From half the 'verse away. Gotta say you did a shitty job." She glared at him. But the heat of anger wasn't all that danced in her eyes. Just like on Crematoria something else rose, something she thought she had squashed in herself long before. _His touch doesn't make your skin crawl._ That voice said again. Mocking her. Riddick leaned close to her and sniffed the air around her. That alone should have made her skin crawl, but instead it sent tremors lower, and Riddick froze. If he hadn't been so close Kyra would have sworn he had just ceased to exist.

"Big Bad doesn't have anything to say?" She sneered. _Hold on to anger Kyra, anger helps._ She told herself, if she could stay angry, she could control everything else.

"You don't smell like anger Kyra." He said, his voice a low bass rumble against her ear.

"You should get that nose of yours checked then." Her voice came out strained as she tried to twist her body out of his grasp. She could feel him move, lowering his face to her throat, slowly taking in her scent.

"My nose is fine, what I am trying to figure out is why you smell like desire." He was teasing her now, trying to regain his own control. He could handle her angry, but he was supposed to be her protector, and now she was leaning on the edge of needing protection from him. Kyra didn't answer him. She wasn't sure what would come out of her mouth if anything.

"Back off." She forced out from behind clenched teeth and jaw. _I will not give in to him._ She told herself, but she wanted to. How long after she got away from the slavers before she dreamt of him? She dreamt of him while she was with them, every time someone put their hands on her she dreamt of him slipping out of the shadows, showering her in their blood, her avenging angel. She had made a mistake before, saying he was her knight in shining armor. He was never that. But the dreams didn't stay so innocent. How could they? Sometimes he was rescuing her from that rock, what had they named it…Tartarus? Other times he was her avenger, her blade. But then, something changed.

After a while, in the cold and the quiet of space she dreamt of something warmer. The spatter of blood turned to sweat, the screams of fear to moans, the hands that hurt her, became his hands and she wasn't afraid. Riddick hadn't backed away, as her mind recalled the past he was her present moment.

"Is that what you really want?" His lips moved against her neck, over the pulse and her breath hitched. She felt her mouth go dry. He moved, so fast she felt dizzy as her feet left the ground and were wrapped around his waist. Riddick's hands slid to her thighs, holding her effortlessly. If she wanted to get away this was the moment, slam her hands against his ears, or break his nose, then run for it. She could hear the logic churning but it was faint. Instead she closed her eyes, took his face in her hands and lowered her mouth to his.

"No." She felt him smile, predatory as he closed the distance between them.


	4. Chapter 4

His lips were soft, and he let her lead the kiss. Butterflies, she had butterflies dancing in her belly. _You've fucked hundreds of men, what is wrong with you?_ She screamed at herself. Then that voice, that stupid voice piped up. _But none of them were him, you never wanted them like you want him._ Kyra pulled back from the kiss and wanted to search his face, but though she could see his eyes, she couldn't read them.

"I want to see you Riddick" She whispered. Kyra knew lights bothered him, the shine job was a boon and a curse that way. But she had never found a doctor to do the shine job for her. Riddick's hand moved and pressed on a small panel just to the side of the door and a dim gray light flicked on across the room. It wasn't much, but she was able to see after a moment. _Shoulda kept the lights off Kyra._ She cursed herself. At least with the lights off it could be a dream. She could put it all away and never think about it again if it went wrong. But seeing him made it real, made her desire real and all the bravado of a moment ago fled her.

Panic filled her, settling into her hazel eyes making them the same eyes Riddick had seen back on Tartarus as one of the Hell beasts tried to get at her through the bones of some great animal. Riddick let her down gently. His hands settling on her hips. "Kyra…" It was his turn to have a strained voice, she couldn't place it, but the tone was more than just sexual frustration, she knew that much. Then he was stepping back from her, his head down, hands curled into fists at his side.

"Go." Now Kyra's head was really spinning.

"What do you mean go?" There was that edge to her voice. "You got yourself sent to Crematoria, risked death and worse to bust my ass out of the slam, and now you want me to go?" She advanced on him, shoving him. "You are the most…infuriating man I've met Riddick."

Riddick watched her fury rise, his own was boiling somewhere in the back of his head along with other thoughts. She was soft, not like other women he had lain with who were scrawny because of drugs or lack of eating. No, Kyra was feline, grace and muscle with claws and teeth all her own. He wanted her. Nearly losing her had reinforced that he cared for her but now…now he was going to have to protect her from his own worst intentions. That's when he felt her hands hit his chest and her words registered with him. He grabbed her wrists, spun her around and pulled her into his chest.

"Do you know what I am Kyra?"

"A murderer, a convict, a coward." She spat, twisting her shoulders until he squeezed her tighter, effectively halting her movements.

"I am a man, who has spent the last six years without a woman, running from every half-wit merc who came after me." He said against her hair. "I am a man who has been searching for you, thinking of you like you were still Jack, the little kid who shaved her head and made her own goggles to look like me. Then I find you, all grown up and suddenly the thoughts in my head aren't very family oriented." He took both of her wrists in one of his hands and used the other to move her hair from her throat, trailing his lips across the juncture of neck and shoulder. "I am not kind, I am not gentle. Never have been, my life didn't allow for that. So, when I say go, it isn't for me. It's to protect you."

"I'm not a little kid anymore Riddick. I haven't been that in a long time." Kyra said, her voice soft, almost mournful. "If you really want to protect me, then stand by me. Don't abandon me again. I can hold my own, I can watch your back."

"Even in the dark?" He teased.

"Find me a doctor, I've got the Menthol Kools." She shot back. Riddick chuckled the low rumble of it reverberated in her chest. He bit her, not hard enough to mark or cause real pain, but enough to see how she would react. Her breath hitched and he could feel the slight wobble in her knees. He didn't let go of her wrists as his free hand began to explore. Tracing the line of her ribs, her hips, her stomach. Teasing the edge of her pants. Kyra leaned more against him, arching herself so that he could explore her more easily. Her lower lip caught between her teeth as he sucked and nipped at her throat.

He spun her around and picked her up, walking them to the bed. He pinned her hands above her head, straddling her hips and watching her. "Point of no return Kyra." _Last chance, after this, neither one of us is going back to the way things were._ He thought to himself.

"I think we're beyond the point of no return." Kyra replied, her voice thick. Riddick slid one of his knives out and put the tip of it just under her collar and slid it down, splitting the top she was wearing to her navel. The feel of the cold steel on her skin made her shiver and things lower down tighten.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this chapter, I meant to have it up last Tuesday but life made me put my writing on the back burner for a moment. Above is the link to the continuation of the last scene of Chapter 4. It does contain graphic depictions of a sexual nature.

I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed, makes my tiny black heart feel all warm and fuzzy to know that my writing is enjoyed.

Thank you and back to the story

 _ **WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING**_

 _ **MATURE CONTENT AHEAD MATURE CONTENT AHEAD MATURE CONTENT AHEAD MATURE CONTENT AHEAD MATURE CONTENT AHEAD**_

As cold air danced across her skin Kyra instinctively tried to pull her hands down to cover herself. Riddick's grip tightened on her wrists.

"Don't." He warned, his eyes slowly devouring her. "Beautiful." Her murmured as he eased his grip. _You really are all grown up, aren't you?_ He thought to himself as he pushed the remnants of her top from her shoulders. His calloused fingers brushed a set of scars on her shoulder. With the way, they crossed and healed he guessed a whip. If he was right, hell even if he wasn't, after tonight, he had hunting to do.

"Riddick?" Kyra was looking up at him, a small crease forming between her eyes. "Did you go somewhere?" She asked, placing her smaller hand over his.

"Your scars." Kyra lowered her eyes, blinking back the tears that burned.

"They are very old." She pushed his hand away from them and pulled her top back over that shoulder. "Kiss me." She whispered, "Kiss me and help me forget the stories behind them." Her touch was feather light against his cheek as she turned pleading eyes to him. How could he deny her, deny the pain in her eyes? He kissed her gently, exploring her mouth with his.

 _Gentle, he is being gentle._ Kyra returned his kiss with a small flare of impishness, nipping his lower lip. A small growling chuckle vibrated against her lips as he deepened the kiss, a hand moving to lace through her hair as the other slid under her back. They moved together until she was straddling him as they kissed. The top fell from her shoulders and her bare breasts brushed against the fabric of his tank top. She used her leverage to push Riddick down to the bed. He smirked at her, "At your mercy, Kyra." His hands ran up her thighs, ghosting the edge of her pants. Kyra grinned and bent back, her lithe body arching so she could grab Riddick's discarded blade. She slit his shirt open, kissing down his chest as she went. The bulge in his pants gave her an idea of how much he enjoyed her lips on him.

She kissed along the edge of his pants, her tongue darting out to taste his flesh as her hands started to work on his belt. Suddenly the world shifted and she felt his weight between her legs. He trailed kisses along her jaw, down her neck and between the valley of her breasts. Kyra's breath caught as she felt his mouth close around her nipple. His teeth dragged across the sensitive flesh and gooseflesh broke out across her skin as she arched toward him. His hands traced the contours of her body, as he teased her. Kyra squirmed, a soft moan escaping her lips as the raw ache of desire pooled between her legs.

 _We're just getting started baby._ Riddick smirked to himself as he moved to her other breast and offered it similar worship.

"Ri…Riddick…" Kyra moaned, her eyes half-lidded.

"Yes?" He asked, without looking up as he trailed kisses down the smooth plane of her stomach.

"Please…please…" She whimpered as his fingers hooked the top of her pants and slowly slid them down her legs. He kissed and nipped along the exposed flesh until he could toss the pants off the bed. Then he lavished the other side with the same attentions as he moved back up, her legs settling over his shoulders as his hands cupped her ass and tilted her hips slightly. He bit down on her inner thigh, enough to make her jump before he stopped and kissed the quickly reddening flesh.

Kyra tried to sit up and pull away as he settled between her legs. "Lay back." Kyra's face flushed red but she obeyed. He teased her with small kisses and nips, careful to avoid her center even though he could feel her frustration as it sang through her body. _Don't worry princess, I won't leave you hanging._ His own desire was growing painful, and had she been any other lay he would have had his fill by now. But she wasn't and he planned on savoring every moment of this.

Kyra growled, her hands fisted in the covers. "Riddick, please." Her words were a soft whine of need as she writhed beneath him, offering and begging. Riddick flashed a wolfish smile and moved to the heart of her need. His tongue traced her slit in a single, quick motion making her suck in a quick breath. He nipped, licked and sucked at her core till she was writhing and twitching. He rolled his eyes up to watch her as she panted with desire, his tongue flicking over her clit causing her to cry out. He shifted so he could support her weight with one hand while he slid a finger inside of her. As he moved his hand and sucked and licked her movements became more and more erratic. He adjusted his tempo and between one heartbeat and the next she spilled over the edge as she clenched her jaw to contain the sounds of her pleasure.

As the tremors, and spasms slowed Riddick slowly pulled away from her, moving up her body to catch her in a tender kiss. The rough fabric of his pants rubbed against her, causing her legs to twitch. Her hands fumbled at his belt, "Pants…off…" she murmured against his lips. Riddick caught her hand and pushed them aside, moving to undo the belt and toss his pants aside himself.

As more of him was revealed to her Kyra could feel her want of him growing. His cock stood thick and proud against his belly and Kyra drank him in with her eyes. As they moved up slowly she caught a smirk on his lips and her rebellious spirit flared. She did not want him arrogant. She wanted him undone at her hands.

 _ **END MATURE CONTENT**_ __ _ **END MATURE CONTENT**_ _ **END MATURE CONTENT**_ _ **END MATURE CONTENT**_ _ **END MATURE CONTENT**_ _ **END MATURE CONTENT **_

Kyra lay curled against Riddick her breath shallow as she slept. Riddick watched her, his fingers trailing over the scars that made a story on her back. There were dead men out in the 'verse, and he was going to bury them.

His murderous revenge plot was interrupted by a heavy knock at the door. Kyra slid away from Riddick, immediately alert and looking for the discarded blade. Once she had it in hand she held it out to him. He had already pulled on pants and tucked the blade at the small of his back before going to the door. Kyra found her own pants and slid them on, tossing the split open shirt aside as a lost cause and instead hunted for a secondary weapon.

The knock sounded again followed by a muffled, but cultured voice. "My Lord Marshall?" Riddick listened, no other voices followed the first but that didn't mean there weren't other people in the hallway. He pulled the door open, keeping his back pressed to the wall until the man who had spoken entered. He pushed the door closed and the man turned to face Riddick, bowing slightly.

"My apologies for intruding on you Lord Marshall, my name is Evinrude and I served the last Lord Marshall as a personal attendant." He wouldn't look directly at Riddick, instead focusing on the wall just over his shoulder.

"Why should that concern me?" Riddick asked as Kyra moved silently into the room and took a seat on a large chair just behind Evinrude.

"It is my honor to assist the Lord Marshall with his daily duties, and to ease the transition of the new Lord Marshall into his position." Riddick didn't say anything, he didn't plan on keeping the Necromongers, he didn't like pets.

"Is that all you do Evinrude?" Kyra asked from behind him, a slim silver bit of metal flashing between her fingers as Evinrude stiffened.

"My apologies Lord Marshall if I had known-" Kyra cut him off.

"He didn't ask you a question Evinrude," she over-stressed the last syllable of his name. "I did."

"It is not the Necromonger way to speak with breeder consorts of the Lord Marshall." He said, his tone stiff and very matter-of-fact. Kyra sucked her teeth, her anger bubbling up.

"Answer the question Evinrude, before she gets angry." Riddick said with an amused grin. He could smell the shift in her mood, from that calm almost sweet smell, to a pheromone laden spice. _Quick to anger now, huh Jack, but you've got a good survival instinct._

Evinrude's jaw tightened, but he couldn't refuse a direct order from the Lord Marshall. "As a personal aide to the Lord Marshall I do whatever is required to make his day easier, from carrying messages, to maintaining his personal household should he have one." He was curt, but Kyra ignored that, there was something Evinrude was hiding, something he didn't want to say, she could almost feel it. Riddick seemed to pick up on it too because he moved to catch Evinrude's eyes and the man flinched away from those silver orbs.

 _You're a prey animal._ Kyra thought to herself, a cold smile touching her lips. That's what brought him here. Not a desire to help the new Lord Marshall.

"Bring up fresh clothes for us, and food." Riddick said, opening the door for the man. Evinrude looked confused for a moment but bowed his head.

"At once Lord Marshall." Riddick closed and locked the door behind Evinrude and looked at Kyra who was cleaning under her nails with the small silver thing she had found

"The hell is that thing?" Riddick asked. Kyra held it up and examined it.

"No idea, but its sharp, looks like it belonged to a woman though." Kyra shrugged and went back to fiddling with her nails. "So, how long before the rabbit turns snake?" She asked.

"Doesn't matter, we aren't staying long enough to find out."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "Just how do you propose to walk away from the Necromongers? They keep what they kill remember, and you killed the Lord Marshall."

"Vaako can have it, or any other Necro who wants it." Riddick said with a shrug as he took in the room. Normally he would have had the layout memorized by now, but he had been a bit distracted when he first came into the room. Kyra had been studying it as he dealt with Evinrude.

"He was a flashy asshole." He said as he took in the morbid, ostentatious carvings in the room. Kyra nodded

"They all seem to like showing off actually." she said with a shrug. "When I first got here I had a chance to watch them. The warriors are pretty plain, as far as their battle dress goes. But the others, the…civilians…." She chewed over the word and not finding a better one shrugged and continued. "They like to show off, especially the ones attached to people with influence. Like Vaako's wife. She dresses like she is a princess all the time. Some of the men dress up too. Like that purifier guy, he was decked out, not as bad as some, but bad enough.

"What else?" Riddick had taken a seat across from her and was leaning forward now, his elbows on his knees, fingers laced.

"Warriors are at the top of the heap here, for obvious reasons. But they seem to function without any overt internal conflicts. Almost like a hive mind. Some of the higher-ranking people seem to have more free will than the newer converts. So whatever they do might start to wear off after a while, or maybe they just get stock-holmed and it lets up, I'm not sure." Riddick contemplated the information she had given him. "Most of them are waiting to be taken to something called the Threshold, and from what I was told, it's the place where this 'verse meets the Underverse. I guess their version of the afterlife."

"If they all want to get dead it can be arranged without flying across the universe." Riddick growled, Iman's bloody body flashing through is mind.

"No, it's something about going there and coming back through, it changes them. You saw what the late Lord Marshall could do, that weird projection of himself. He apparently had been to the Underverse and returned, it did something to him.

"So all these people want to be superpowered killers." Riddick said, rolling his shoulders as he felt tension starting to build between the shoulder-blades. He wouldn't admit it, but Zhylaw was the one he thought would be the death of him. Even those creatures on Tartarus hadn't given Riddick the trouble he had. Now he was faced with the prospect of hundreds like him, each with a desire to see the universe burn.

Great.


	6. Chapter 6

Kyra watched Riddick process the information, his brow creasing as he went through the myriad of possibilities that lay before him. One the one hand, he could head the most feared army in the 'verse. Never want or need for anything, no more worrying about mercs on his neck or if he would see another night. But then, he had never killed for pleasure. Sure, he had been a thief, an enforcer, the monster that kept the smaller monsters in line while their bosses made money off their blood. But killing, killing was reserved for the last line, where nothing else would work.

He had been born to violence, he knew that. His script written before he knew his mother's milk when Zhylaw paid Furya a visit. But was that the only script he had to follow? He could take them all to the threshold, blow the entire fleet to bits and walk away. Fake his death. Hell, it wouldn't be hard. The only reason Mercs were on him was because of that Elemental bitch, and she had called the bounty off. It would be easy. Kyra could put it out to other Mercs that he had been killed with the rest of the Necromongers, and he would be free. Freedom, such a bittersweet pill to take.

Kyra jumped when a heavy knock came at the door, but Riddick just sat for a moment before telling whoever was on the other side to come in. Evinrude entered with food, and a train of servants came in behind him with clothes and weapons. Kyra raised an eyebrow. They had asked for clothes and food, but he had brought weapons. Either he wanted them to know something, or he really was there to make Riddick's life a little easier.

"I brought several assorted sizes of outfits for you both, we can have more made in appropriate styles and sizes." Evinrude said as each outfit was laid out on the large couch, the food was set up on a decently sized table in the far corner. Kyra's stomach growled, making her blush a bit as her mouth watered at the smell of the food.

"And the weapons?" She asked, tramping her need to eat down until everything else was handled.

"As the new Lord Marshall he shall have to answer challenges to his rule. It would be unwise for him to walk about the Necropolis unarmed, at least until he has picked a trust worth guard to accompany him." Kyra nodded and now it was Riddick's turn to look puzzled. He didn't trust anyone to have his six, except maybe Kyra and only because she had nearly died trying to protect him.

"If there is nothing else, I will leave you to your meal, tomorrow you will have meetings with all of the officers in the Necromonger army and we begin bringing you up to speed on how everything here is run Lord Marshall Riddick." Before Riddick could say anything Evinrude and the servants had all filed out and closed the door behind them. Kyra looked over the clothes they had brought for her and found that most of them would fit her well, some a little bit too snug to be comfortable. She grabbed the loosest tunic she could find and slid it over her head, switched the dirty pants for some clean ones and made her way over to the weapons. Riddick had already started looking them over and he handed one of the slimmer blades which she inspected, moving it around her hand with expert grace.

"Not bad." She tested the edge with her thumb and came away with a thin line of blood. "We need to pay a visit to their weapon smith." She said with a grin as she looked over a few of the other blades and started hiding them in her clothes and in the side of her boot. She took a loose piece of leather from the table and used it to tie back her hair, sliding the smallest blade she could find into her curls.

"They weren't joking about you and blades." Riddick said with a laugh as he settled two sling blades against his back.

"After you slice a few people up, they tend to figure out you are always carrying." Kyra said with a shrug. She made her way to the table and grabbed a slice of thick warm bread and flopped in a chair. "You better sit down and eat; next meals aren't a guarantee." She said as she started putting a plate for herself together. Riddick joined her, mulling over everything that was happening. It wasn't likely that they would be attacked in these rooms, but they both felt better dressed and armed.

#

Kyra was pacing the room, she hated being cooped up with nothing to do, but Riddick was right, until they knew more about the Necropolis, and its layout, wandering about would be unwise, at least until he was relatively sure nothing would happen to her. He hadn't said that last bit, and maybe Kyra was imagining that he would be that level of worried about her, but it made being told to sit and stay easier to swallow. She swung the knife around in her hands, back and forth, between her fingers to the other hand and back again. It was mindless, something she had perfected years ago but it was calming. Riddick on the other hand had found his way into a schematics system and was currently flicking through the screens at an insane pace. He was looking for something, or comparing, she wasn't sure which. She had tried to keep up but with the pace he was going she couldn't, hence the pacing.

"Kyra, come look at this." Riddick called, as he leaned closer to the 3d model. Kyra walked over and leaned over his shoulder.

"What am I looking for?" Riddick gestured to a small protrusion on one side of the screen.

"See this bit here." It warbled around his finger a bit as he pointed.

"Yeah."

"Look here," he flipped to another schematic page. "No protrusion." Kyra adjusted to she could see the schematics better.

"The hell, these are the plans to the whole of the Necropolis right?"

"Yeah, but it looks like one of these was doctored. That bit that sticks out winds its way around the entire Necropolis."

"Are you thinking hidden tunnels?" Kyra asked looking down at him.

"Yeah, and if that's the case, we have some exploring to do." Kyra grinned, they were finally doing something and who knew, maybe they would have some fun along the way.


	7. Chapter 7

Just behind the schematics table Riddick was running his hand along the ornate frame work when he felt something scrape his fingers. He pulled his hand back and examined the spot, there was a rough edge that shined slightly. He put his fingers against it carefully and pulled, with a slow groan a four-foot-wide section of the wall slid forward and Riddick could make out a twisting corridor. He looked back at Kyra.

"Let's go." Kyra slid past him and he pulled the door closed behind them. Kyra fell back, and pulled a blade from her hip, holding it loosely in her hand, she followed Riddick, noting small a spattering of light ahead. As they got closer, they could also hear voices. Kyra's stomach twisted in an uncomfortable knot. What if this was a trap? What if the previous Lord Marshall had set this up so that anyone stupid enough to try and use these passages to sneak in would be corralled and killed? She clenched her jaw, tramping down the small swell of panic that lanced through her. A healthy dose of fear kept her sharp, but she knew straight panic would end up with her killed.

Kyra slowed her pace which made Riddick stop moving and look over his shoulder at her. "I thought you said you weren't afraid of the dark." He teased.

"Not the dark that's the problem." She bit back. "I'm more worried that it's an ambush and we are about to get very dead." Riddick grunted but turned his attention back to the hall. She had good survival instincts he reminded himself, but it stung a little that she didn't trust him to know if an ambush was headed their way or not. He had spent his life being underestimated, hell, his life had started by being thrown in the trash, why would she be any different. Riddick shook his head. He didn't have time to be falling into his own shit, he needed to be alert, everything else could wait.

They moved slowly closer to the light and the voices and they noticed they were female voices, and they sounded like they were…whining.

"I can't believe Zhylaw lost to that breeder." One cultured alto voice said, Kyra imagined a curvy dark-haired woman to go with the voice and moved close to the holes to see if she could see in the room.

"But have you seen him." Another voice purred. "He looked absolutely delicious, and those eyes of his." She sucked air through her teeth a made an audible shiver noise. There was something snake-like about her voice. Slick and sweet, Kyra could feel it move down her skin and she wanted to bathe, badly.

"Honestly, I don't care who is Lord Marshall, I am worried about that girl he was seen with. The rough looking one." This voice was cold, and even Riddick stiffened to hear it. He turned and looked at Kyra, motioning for her to be very, very quiet.

"Dame Vaako." The alto said, Kyra couldn't see much, the holes were too high for her to see through.

"Danelle, Lillian." She addressed them stiffly, and moved to the center of the room, her dress slithered across the bare floor and she picked up a glass goblet.

"To what do we owe the honor of your visit." Their tones had changed for gossiping women to submissive, Dame Vaako had power and used it to terrorize everyone below her that she could.

"I want you two to help overthrow the new Lord Marshall." They both gasped, and from the sudden shuffling, moved back from Dame Vaako.

"That is treason Dame Vaako. Should-"

"Should anyone hear about it, I shall make sure your head rests on the block next to mine. Danelle."

 _Cold bitch_ Kyra thought, her fingers tightening around her knife.

"Think about this, Zhylaw enjoyed pain, enjoyed dishing it out and you two were his favorite play things. If you help me put my husband on the throne, I can make sure that this Lord Marshall never even gets the chance to lay a finger on you." Riddick looked at Kyra and raised an eyebrow. Kyra just shot him a look that said, "shut up" but she couldn't help the grin that split her face.

"He could be different, and how would you prevent your husband from hurting us. He would be Lord Marshall, he would make the laws."

"Yes, but he is honor-bound to me, and you know how Vaako feels about his honor." She scoffed, her derisive tone enough to make Kyra worry for Vaako.

"What would we have to do?" Lillian asked. Her voice had lost its snake-like quality.

"What you do best ladies. Seduce, make him feel powerful, virile, then, when he is his most vulnerable," She paused and there was a soft bit of rustling. "Slip him this."

"How? Most men aren't exactly in a drinking mood if we are doing our jobs right, and I don't want to poison myself." Danelle said.

"We are Necromongers, this poison won't hurt us. But he is a breeder, a Furian to be exact." There was a tense silence in the room for a moment before Dame Vaako scoffed. "They are known for being warriors, this poison is designed to insight rage, he will be unable to help himself. He will charge out, blind, stupid and begging for a fight. Vaako will be there, waiting for him and will strike him down at just the right moment."

"His timing isn't all the flawless." Lillian snarked. "If it was he would already be the Lord Marshall, not the Furian. I say we back someone else. Maybe Aurelius." She added the that thoughtfully. Three quick footsteps and sudden slap, followed by a short yelp of pain made Kyra step away from the wall a bit.

"You will remember who you are taking to Lillian, or I will make sure you never see the Underverse." Lillian choked out a small apology. "You two will help me do this." Dame Vaako said, her voice sure and steady, no hint of anger. Kyra closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the wall. _She is insane, power-hungry and insane._ Riddick moved away from the holes and looked at Kyra in the dark. He leaned his head back and heard a soft click, followed by something slamming into place and a ticking noise.

"Riddick…what was that." Kyra asked in a whisper, her pulse thudding hard in her throat. Riddick turned and put his hand where his head was a felt the wall, a three-inch, circular depression met his hand and Riddick mentally kicked himself.

"I think this is how Zhylaw kept himself from being followed from his room. It's a lock, most likely on a timer." He said, picking up on the faint ticking.

"We are locked in…and no one knows where we are." Kyra felt sick and started to count her breaths, closing her eyes so she couldn't see the far wall in the dim light.

"We continue with the plan." Riddick said, brushing past her and walking a few feet before he stopped and turned toward her when he realized she wasn't moving with him. In fact, from what he could see, she had plastered herself to the wall and had her head tilted toward the ceiling. She looked scared.

"Kyra." He said in a faint voice, glancing toward the holes, acutely aware that those women might be able to hear them and start investigating if they weren't careful. Kyra just made a pathetic, whimper and shook her head. He walked toward her and grabbed her arm, dragged her beyond the lights and made her walk until they were far enough away they were in total darkness. He let her go and called her name, firmly.

"Kyra." She opened her eyes and looked in his general direction. "What the hell was that Kyra?" He barked. No compassion, just irritation. She was supposed to be strong, steady, able to watch his back.

"Trapped." She managed to force out between her teeth. She closed her eyes again, counting in slowly, and releasing the breath just as slow. Crematoria, she could smell the sulfur and stench of wet animals. In the back of her head she could hear the slamming of metal, growls as those dogs tried to get at her through the thick steel of the pen they had thrown her in. Something sharp stung her face and she turned angry eyes to the dark, looking for something to strike out at but saw nothing, heard nothing. She raised a careful hand to her face, it was hot, and she felt a small amount of blood at the corner of her mouth.

"What the fuck!" She yelled. Riddick didn't answer, just watched her from a short distance away. He watched her the way he had watched so many mercs when he had been 'caught'. She was a specimen under the glass. Weak, easy to kill, it was just the how that was left to him. Kyra calmed herself. He had pissed her off by hitting her, he knew that. It did nothing for him to make her bleed like that, but she needed to come back to reality. A ship full of people ready to kill them and she was acting just like the kid she was back on Tartarus. _Damn Riddick, you fucked up didn't you. You forgot that she is just Jack. Grow up, a little wiser, a little deadlier, but she is still that kid._ He chastised himself.

"Riddick, you asshole." Kyra was walking toward him now, her eyes closed as she moved. Her head was cocked slightly. She was using her other senses, listening for his breath in the dark. _Good girl._ He thought as he watched her, stepping against the wall. Kyra took a step past him, stopped and threw her elbow back at him in one quick motion. He caught it, but missed the upper-cut she threw into his ribs. He grunted with pain and tightened his grip on her elbow.

"Ease down." He whispered.

"Let go of me Richard." She hissed. He let go and Kyra stepped away from him.

"What happened just now?" He asked, rubbing his side. _Damn she has a good punch_ he thought.

"Nothing." She said. Kyra didn't want to talk about it, just like she didn't like discussing her scars, some things were better left to the shadows of her mind. _It was just unexpected is all._ She told herself, but that voice in the back of her head told her she was lying. That little bit of her that was still Jack was still there, always reminding her that she was still just a child playing at a grown-up game.

"Bullshit. I need to know now if you are worth keeping around Jack, or are you going to end up like Carolyn." Low blow, he knew it but it needed to be said.

"Don't worry, I won't die for you." Kyra snapped and kept walking down the hall. _Fuck him._ She growled in her own mind. She felt the bile rise in her throat. She had fucked him, literally, and now she felt used, dirty. Riddick just followed behind her, quiet.


End file.
